Zora Neale Hurston: Collected Plays

Filling Station

Cold Keener A Review sketches: Filling Station Cock Robin Heaven Mr. Frog Lenox Avenue The House That Jack Built Bahamas Railroad Camp Jook Filling Station cast: Proprietor Ford Driver Chevrolet Driver Girl Time: Present. Place: A point on the Alabama-Georgia state line. Setting: A filling station upstage center. It stretches nearly across the stage. The road passes before and through it.There is a line down the center of the stage from the center of the filling station to the footlights that says on the left side, “Alabama State Line,” and on the right, “Georgia State Line.” The name of the station is “The State Line Filling Station.” There are two gas pumps equal distance from the center of the station, so that the door of the house appears between them. Action: When the curtain goes up, a fat Negro is r[e]ared back in a chair beside the door of the station asleep and snoring. There is an inner tube lying beside him that has fallen out of his hand as he slept. It is a bright afternoon .There is the sound of a car approaching from theAlabama side and 77 050 cold (75-130) 4/9/08 11:03 AM Page 77 a Model T Ford rattles up to the pump on the upstage side of the pumps and stops at the one nearest to the left entrance. He stops his car with a jerk. The Proprietor is still asleep. The Ford driver blows his horn vigorously and wakes him. He picks up the tube beside him and arises with it in his hand, stretching and yawning. Proprietor: (Sleepily) How many? Ford Driver: Two. Proprietor: Two what? Ford Driver: Two pints. (The Proprietor gets a quart cup out and measures the gas and wrings the hose to be sure to get it all, then he pours it in the tank.) Ford Driver: You better look at my water and air, too. (He has a very expensive and ornate cap on the radiator, but otherwise the car is most dilapidated. As the Proprietor pours the water into the radiator, the driver gets out of the car and stands off from it looking it over) Ford Driver: Say,Jimpson,they tells me you got a new mechanic ’round here that’s just too tight. Proprietor:That’sright.Hekindomorewid’emthanthemanthatmade’em. Ford Driver: Well, looka here. My car kinda needs overhauling and maybe a little paint. Look her over and tell me just what you could make her look like a brand new car for. (Proprietor lifts the hood and looks.Walks around and studies the car from all angles. Then stops at the front and examines the radiator cap.) Proprietor: Well, I tell you.You see it’s like this. This car needs a whole heap of things done to it. But being as you’se a friend of mine—tell you what I’ll do.I’ll just jack that radiator cap up and run a brand new Ford under it for four hundred and ninety-five dollars. Ford Driver: (Indignantly) Whut de hen-fire you think I’m gointuh let you rob me outa my car. That’s a good car. (A car enters from theAlabama side with a good-looking girl in it alone.She stops on the downstage side of the pumps, but somewhat ahead of the Ford. The Proprietor rushes over to the left side of her car.) Proprietor: (Pleasantly) Yes, ma’am! Girl: I had a flat down the road and I changed it,but it’s not fixed.Do you vulcanize ?2 78 • cold keener 050 cold (75-130) 4/9/08 11:03 AM Page 78 Proprietor: We do everything but the buzzard lope3 —and that’s gone outa style. (He takes the tire off the back and goes inside, and comes right out again with it.) Do you want it on the wheel or on the spare? (Girl alights and goes [a]round to back of car.) Girl: On the spare, I guess. (The Proprietor tries to put it on. Ford Driver tries to help. They get in each other’s way.) Proprietor: (Peeved) Man, let go of this thing. Ford Driver: (Peeved) Don’t you see I’m helpin’ you? Proprietor: (Angry) Leggo! I can’t utilize my self for you! (Ford Driver lets go so suddenly that the tire falls to the ground. The girl...